


Space Cowboy

by punkrock_writer



Category: Star Wars, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence, Chapter specific trigger warnings, Comedy, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Domestic, Earthlings in Star Wars, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Crack, Himbo Din Djarin, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Inspired by Music, Memes, Mentions Abuse and Trauma, Protective Din Djarin, Slow Burn, Swearing, Touch-Starved, Touch-Starved Din Djarin, Young Din Djarin, idiots to lovers, space chaos, thrown into the universe narrative
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:48:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28768833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punkrock_writer/pseuds/punkrock_writer
Summary: A Girl is teleported from her hotel room, and dropped onto the floor of the Razor Crest. Chaos ensues as she tries to convince The Mandalorian not to freeze her in carbonite, and do her best to find her place in the endless Void of space.Follows the plot of Season 1 and 2, with a lil dash of canon divergence thrown in for ~spice~We’re pretending Din is like Mid to Late twenties here okay just roll with it.
Relationships: Din Djarin/Original Female Character(s), The Mandalorian/Original Female Character
Comments: 38
Kudos: 60





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. This is my first time posting on archive. Please let me know if you have any tips, trick or suggestions, all advice is appreciated. Also if you like my work, don't be afraid to comment or shoot me a message, I can be found on Wattpad as Punkrock_writer and Tumblr as punkrock-writer. 
> 
> Thanks for looking.

The cockpit of the Razor Crest is filled only with the sound of the dull whirring of hyperspace, the Mandalorian takes this rare moment of peace to lean back in his chair. The Child naps silently in the passenger seat behind his shoulder, blissfully unaware of the chaos they had escaped only a day before. He sighs, not wanting to twiddle his thumbs any longer and moves to stand. When suddenly a much louder sound fills the Razor Crest, over taking the hum of hyperspace as the ship begins to shake. 

The Mandalorian rises quickly, gripping the back of his chair and reaching for the child, as the noise grows steadily louder. He is able to reach the sealed doors of the cockpit when suddenly the pressure drops. If it weren't for the helmet he could tell his ears would've popped painfully, the child looks up at him, trying to cover its ears and crying out in the process. 

"Hold on" he shouts over the noise through gritted teeth, attempting to make his way to the ladder as the ship begins to shake far more violently. He looks into the hull, when suddenly a bright blue light fills the space. He has to squint under the helmet as every thing begins to increase in its severity. The child cries out louder as the shaking brings him to one knee. 

"What the h-" and suddenly it stops.

And 3 large objects seemingly fall from the ceiling of the Razor Crest, landing with a heavy thump. 

One object moves. 

"MOTHER FUCKER"


	2. Having a Very Bad Time at Disney World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings- Swearing.

The musty, thick, Florida humidity did little to stop her body from practically vibrating as she gazed up at the sight before her. The grand entrance to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge stood proudly, casting an arch shaped shadow that she stepped into to get a better look. Faux sandstone and waving flags beckoned her into the park, and she gladly followed with a face splitting smile. She had been saving for this trip for what felt like a life time; overtime had finally payed off, and she couldn't wait to spend an entire week in "the happiest place on earth"...  
  
  


Or so she thought.  
  
  


Sedona smiled as the butterflies fluttered in her stomach, gazing up at the Millennium Falcon was like a dream. The ship was massive, and fit snugly within the surrounding attraction. She wouldn't consider her self a 'super fan'- she doesn't know the names of the planets in a galaxy far far away, and she definitely couldn't name all of the different space races- but the beauty of the universe awakened the child that was buried deep in her soul. Nostalgia and adult money were a deadly combination.

It didn't help that the casting department knew how to cast the perfect eye candy to keep a grown woman entertained.

She dragged herself away from the massive ship. Though she told her self she wasn't obsessed, she still unconsciously decided to carve an entire day out of a week long trip just to roam around Batuu. She took as deep a breath as she could of the hot air, just beginning to get used to the uncomfortable way her hair curled and clung to the sweat on her neck. The air smelled like an amusement park, little kids vomit, sweat, and caramel corn. She walked leisurely, her sandals dragging on the pavement as she passed stalls and a makeshift cantina, making her way under another gigantic arch. Voices and music filled her ears, she let her guard down, allowing herself to completely absorb the atmosphere.

If she hadn't been gazing up at the architecture of the buildings surrounding her, she would've been able to react quicker.

An insanely bright blue light flashed in her face followed by a high pitched whine, similar to your grandpas weird old camera.

Startled she took quick steps back, her vision foggy as she struggled to clear the blotches that stayed behind when the light went away. But when she can see the sight before her fills her with confusion and anger.

"What the hell is this Men in Black Comic-Con, who are you?" Holding her tongue had never been her strong-suit.

There was a tall, old, white man in a black suit and sunglasses. Typing something into an iPad, not paying any mind to the girl he just attempted to blind. She made the move to step toward him when his head moved away from her, looking upwards and to the left.

"So this is the one" he wasn't even looking at anyone, and then she noticed the tiny bluetooth device in his ear. Her brow furrowed deeper, her mouth set in a frown. Her hand lifted and mouth opened simultaneously but before she could yell at him further, an object was thrust in her outstretched hand.

That's when her head split open.

Her empty hand instantly flew to her forehead, eyes squinting shut as she tried to control her breathing. It literally felt like her skull was cracking down the middle, lights danced underneath her eyelids, she curled into herself in the middle of the Disney World street.

"Mother fuck" she spat out the words, cracking one eye open to look for the man, but he had disappeared. Leaving her with a migraine and gadget that looked like the worst dildo in the world.

The growl that ripped through her throat was inhuman. One hand still covered her left eye as she charged in the direction she thought the man could've gone. Most likely looking like the angriest bitch in the entire park. Her fist clenched around the metal piece that was in her right hand, swinging it as her flip flops smacked against the cement. She didn't know where the hell he went but she was going to find the prick an-

"Miss are you okay?" A timid female voice flitted from her left side. She spun quickly, another wave of pain crashed over her, she couldn't fathom how she looked right now to the poor mother and her young child. A fist covering her left eye as her face contorted into a snarl, her other hand clutching some kind of metal object. Her chest heaving and leaning awkwardly into her left side.

"I'm fine" she grumbled, before marching further on her war path. She missed the way the mother quickly bundled the child into her arms, rushing into the opposite direction as quick as she could. 

━━━━━━━━▲━━━━━━━━

Sedona attempted her murderous trek for as long as she could. Searching the park for the mysterious business man who had fucked with her relaxing vacation. But sooner than she would've liked the pain overwhelmed her. Begrudgingly she boarded a Disney bus and made her way back to her hotel room. The device had been tossed into her purse, not wanting to get rid of it, so she could beat the man with it when she found him.

Yet another shuddering wave of pain ripped through her as she flung open the door to her room. Quickly shutting and locking it behind her, the first thing she did was pull her hair from its ponytail. Her hair, damp and curly from sweat hung to her shoulders, she ran both hand through it, taking a deep breath of the air conditioning. The next to go was her purse, which she unceremoniously flung onto the bed as she stomped forward. Her flip flops were kicked off at the end of her bed. Peeling the sage green sundress off her sweaty body, she rifled through her suitcase.

_Nothing good ever happens when I wear a fucking dress._

Satisfied with her choice of pajamas she shuffled into the bathroom. Pausing for a moment to glare into the mirror. Taking in the mess of a girl who couldn't even keep her eyes all the way open. She pivoted to the shower, praying the cold water would do some kind of good for the aggressive pounding behind her eyes.

She stayed in the shower till she was shivering. The headache only diminishing slightly, and the gaudy scent of the hotel toiletries didn't really help. Grappling two thin towels from the rack above the toilet she rolled her hair into one atop her head, the other she quickly dried herself off. She didn't really want to spend much longer in the dampness, wanting a nap much more.

Her pajama choice was simple, a men's 3XL Big and Tall black T-shirt, and a pair of Mandalorian printed MeUndies. No, no, she definitely wasn't a super fan. She exited the bathroom, bee-lining for her massive suitcase that was perched on the bed. Plopping down she hauled it into her lap, searching through the many pockets for the one containing her emergency first aid kit, and she sighed in relief when she finally found the bottle of Advil. As she unscrewed the top she glanced at her purse, a strange blue light emitted from within it.

She reached over her suitcase, grabbing her purse and setting it into the bag on her lap. She couldn't help the eye roll as she pulled the device from the depths. It was a simple looking thing. A long pill shape, with an indented seam running the entire edge, and one small thumb-print size button in the middle. The button pulsated it's annoying blue light slowly, beckoning someone to press it.

"I don't have the energy for this shit" she grumbled. Maybe it was the headache making her loopy, but she placed her thumb over the indentation, without much of a hesitation.

And of course it started to vibrate.

She would've laughed if the vibration wasn't followed by the entire outer seam of the device growing brighter with the same blue light.

" **Travel begins in 5 seconds. Please gather all items needed for travel"**

Sedona's eyes grew wide as her brow furrowed in confusion. The mechanical voice didn't give her much time to think.

_This can't be real._

**4** ****

Panic rose in her throat, her eyes searched the device, flipping it in her hands as it began to grow brighter and brighter.

**3**

On instinct she gathered both of her bags closer to her chest. The massive suitcase not really yielding much.

**2**

Her breathing grew quicker, matching the aggressive buzzing of the device in her hand.

**1**

**"** Fucki-"

And suddenly she is falling. Rapid descent lifts the towel from her head, and she can feel wind rushing past her face. She squeezed her eyes shut, but she could still tell that she was falling through and insanely bright blue tunnel. Faster and faster until.

**BANG**

Her knees are folded underneath her, taking the entire collective weight of her body and both of her bags that fall on top of her. She swears she hears a pop, and can feel a burning pain rip up her knees to the top her thighs.

She deeply inhales, slamming her hands onto whatever metal floor is in front of her.

"MOTHER FUCKER"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, this is my first time posting here. Please tell me what you think, and also if there's anything you like, or hate. I dunno, I crave validation.


	3. Trying Not To Get Shot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings- Swearing, canon typical violence

"Shit... fuck... fucking shit balls"

Sedona couldn't stop the string of curses that passed through her as she shifted her hands to fists on the metal floor in front of her. She tried to lean forward, taking some of the weight off her knees. Her eyes flew open. Everything that just happened suddenly rushing to her. Taking deep breaths she tries to get her bearings. 

She was somewhere much, much colder than Florida. There's was a slight hum in the air, she moved her head up wards. The sight nearly put her into shock.

This place was strangely familiar, it was all metal, with many doors and compartments. Boxes stacked against rounded walls, netting and other things her mind couldn't comprehend quite yet hung from the walls. Warm fluorescent lights lit up the space that she knew far too well.

This was the fucking Razor Crest.

Her mouth hung open as she swiveled her head to look behind her, wet hair hung limply in her face. There was another terrifying sight. The carbonite freezer, she took a large shuddering breath. Shifting her weight further forward, she prepared to move to sit on her ass when-

"Don't move."

That voice. Sedona knew that voice very well, it sent a shiver down her spine.

In that moment she knew, she was fucked.

"Who are you"  
"Please don't shoot me"  
They spoke at the same time, her words stumbled out broken in a desperate plea.

His were strong and commanding.

"Turn around, slowly." The modulated voice was rough. She never thought it would ever breach her real ears, only used to hearing it through television speakers. She pressed her weight into her hands, swiveling slowly to meet the beskar man himself.

And he was so so much taller than her T.V made him appear. The metal gleamed in the artificial light, broad and threatening. With a blaster trained directly onto her head. She slowly shifted her weight back onto her legs, trying not to wince as the pain gripped her thighs again. Raising her arms above her head she finally looked into the visor, of the fucking Mandalorian.

It really did not help her situation that she knew exactly who was under the helmet.

"Who are you, how did you get on my ship." If she wasn't already hyperventilating out of fear she most likely would've turned into a puddle on the floor at the sound of the rough growl. But her fear instinct was beating down any kind of arousal with a broom stick, matching her pounding heart.

"I- I don't know, I'm not from here... I'm from Earth" she was a stuttering mess, her eyes darted around, she couldn't meet the T shaped visor, "please don't kill me, I don't know how I got here."

There was silence. Her hands shook above her head. The chill running down her spine intensified under his hard stare. She could tell he was observing her closely, sizing her up, making sure she wasn't a threat. Then it hit her. She knew this timeline well, she had re watched both seasons on Disney + multiple times, shamefully.

_For the plot of course._

She needed to figure out exactly where they were in the series right now. Her heart raced faster, eyes roamed his armor, trying to guess what had just happened based on the wear and tear. It was the pure silver Beskar, so she knew he had turned in the child, but she wasn't sure if he'd gotten him back yet. Before she could ask, the blaster was suddenly much closer to her head.

"Are you here for the Child." She couldn't stop the breath of relief that whooshed out of her lungs. _Thank GOD he has the child._ But she still wasn't out of the woods yet, she had to somehow convince the most skeptical single father in the galaxy that he didn't have to kill her.

"No, no, I would protect the child with my life." The way he stiffened made her realize she probably didn't say the right thing. "Wait, please I j-just have to explain, I don't know how I got here but I'm from an alternate universe."

"You have 5 minutes." She understood of course, but having 5 minutes to argue her right to live was going to be difficult.

"I- I was in my hotel and now I'm here," she gulped scrambling for the right words, "I'm from Earth. Where I come from this galaxy is... a f-fictional universe, I-I have information I can give you. I know what's going to happen."

She quickly decided convincing him she could be useful was going to be her best bet. Making deals and trades seemed to be the way of life in the galaxy. She could sense his confusion, the way his shoulders dropped slightly; and if she hadn't been staring directly at the gun, she would've missed how he removed his finger from the trigger. Taking this as a positive she continued.

"I know, about the child, and the the mudhorn, and-and about Navarro. But I'm not a spy or hunter or anything, you-you're a character, and I know your story well." Her she licked her lips and swallowed. "I know your name, Di-"

"Don't!" The blaster was right between her eyes now as he shouted at her. She jumped, raising her arms straighter in the air.

"OKAY! Okay, you can cuff me, please don't freeze me in carbonite. I promise I can help you." She tried to swallow back the lump in her throat and blink away tears that burned her eyes. Rambling was what she resorted to as she lowered her hands in front of her, presenting them for space cuffs.

The Mandalorian sighed, though it sounded more like a growl. He cautiously stepped toward her, lowering his blaster and exchanging it for the cuffs that hung from his belt. They were heavy, and dragged her arms down to her lap. She looked up again to meet the visor. Aiming for where his eyes might be, she put on her best pleading face.

"You can search my bags, I don't have any weapons, and it's all from a different world" he now had the stance of an extremely grumpy dad. He stood wide, having had to step over her bags to put the cuffs on, his hands planted on his hips. With a huff he bent down to pick up her purse that was directly under him. He rifled through it, instantly pulling out 2 things she definitely forgot about.

In his gloved hands he held out her Swiss Army knife, and her pink taser. The way his helmet tilted was accusatory, one hand now holding her purse to his hip.

"Okay...those are weapons, but they're for self defense against earth men. I swear I forgot about them." She put her palms up, avoiding his gaze once again. All she heard was another sigh. She would've smiled if it weren't a life or death situation. She hated that she felt like she knew him, that she felt like she knew what he was thinking.

_You don't know him at all you idiot._

_"_ I have earth money, in the brown wallet, it'll show you I'm not from here" she was scrambling for anything that could be considered proof. His hand that held the taser and knife dug pack into the purse. Fishing out the old brown wallet. Dropping her purse to the ground he unzipped it, and observed the inside for a beat longer than she would've liked. He looked back to her, then flipped her wallet over. Her mouth fell open in shock, as an avalanche of bulky coins and rectangles fell out of the folds and into his out stretched hand.

Somehow, her genuine American dollars had turned into mysterious space money. Holding up a finger and trying to looking convincing, she spoke again,"Okay. I don't know how those got there, but you can keep them."

He let out another sigh, the hand holding the 'credits' fell to his belt, shoving them into one of the pouches. He stood straighter, she saw his chest rise to speak, but he never got that far. An erratic beeping sounded from the cockpit, and when she looked up to the ladder she could see the interior flashing red.

"Don't even think about moving" came his rough voice, pointing his blaster at her for emphasis, before turning quickly and climbing the ladder to the cockpit. She swore, just at the very edge before his broad frame crowded the entrance, she could see just a peek of a tiny green head, with some big ass ears.

She let out a soft sigh of her own, and moved to rest her head against the metal crate at her back. Searching her shell-shocked brain for any idea of what was going to happen next. She didn't know if this was before, or after Sorgan. Straining her ears to hear some kind of dialogue, she was surprised when the ship started to rock. Her cuffed hands flew out in front of her, trying to brace herself on the floor.

Something was whizzing past the ship, and it was just barely dodging them. Her heart sank, _of course, the other bounty hunter._

"Hand over the child Mando" the voice was quiet, but she recognized it. It was all she could catch before the ship was shot, and she was sent skidding to the side. Finally her busted knees had some relief, but her shoulder that collided with the wall didn't fare well.

Another shot, and she was jolted forward, her hands unable to catch her, she jerked her face to the side at the last second. Unfortunately for Sedona, she was not able to catch Mando's warning. Suddenly she was airborne, and falling fast, as the ship did a tight barrel roll.

"FUCK SHIT" the shout tore threw her throat, she curled into a ball quickly. Her arms flew up to cradle her head, just in time to slam back down to the floor. The wind was knocked out of her chest, her shoulder and hip smacked painfully on the metal. If she wasn't bruised already, she was definitely now. Gasping for breath she tried to adjust herself into a more steady position. Fingers weakly grasped at the corner of a crate for some kind of stability. But the hold was loose and awkward, not really getting anything out of the position her hands were in.

"I can bring you in warm, or I can bring you in cold" her throat filled with cotton at the line. Suddenly she remembered. She curled into herself, bending her arms to rest her hands behind her neck and pulling her knees to her chest. Bracing for impact. 

But it was much more than her body could take.

The Razor Crest slammed to a stop. And she was rolling forward. It felt like she was flying again. With eyes open she could see her self careening straight for the metal ladder that lead to the cockpit. And right before her head slammed into the metal base she heard.

"That's my line" 

And everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, Please let me know what you think. You can also find this story on Wattpad- https://www.wattpad.com/story/254679294-space-cowboy 
> 
> and my Tumblr is https://punkrock-writer.tumblr.com/ 
> 
> I like to post pictures and things when I post chapters on Wattpad, and I'm not entirely sure how to effectively post a fic on Tumblr yet so if anyone has any tips they are greatly appreciated. 
> 
> Thanks for looking.


	4. You Cry in the Shower Like a Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings- swearing, mentions blood, canon typical violence

The Mandalorian let a sigh escape through his nose at the sight below him. Having just narrowly escaped a shoot out with his life, he wasn't entirely ready to deal with the mess that laid in the hull. He stared at the crumpled figure at the base of his ladder before a tug at his pant leg broke him from his procrastinating. Leaning down to scoop up the child, who replied with a happy coo, he pivoted and began his descent, taking care to step over the woman's head.

As soon as the child got close to her, he was wiggling in Din's grasp. Reaching his pudgy little hands down to her form, grunting in effort.

"No" Din said softly, before turning and pressing the control panel next to his sleeping compartment. It slid open with a hiss, and he set the child gently inside. "Stay here, alright."

He then turned to the mess on the ground, ignoring the irritated grunts behind him. Stepping around the girl, he bent down and grabbed her ankles. He probably should've been nicer about moving her, but he still wasn't entirely certain she wasn't a threat; and what she talked about confused the hell out of him. So he slowly dragged her away from the base of the ladder, whatever was in her bags was now strewn around his floor. He sighed in irritation, almost rolling his eyes under the helmet.

He got about half way to his intended destination when suddenly her eyes flew open. He let go quickly, instant reaction to reach for his pistol, but she just laid there for awhile, breathing deeply, eyes searching the ceiling of the Crest. His head tilted to the side in curiosity, observing the girl on the floor. There was an angry red lump growing on her forehead, and he knew it was probably extremely painful.

He definitely did not mean to observe the way her shirt had pulled up onto her stomach.

Did not mean to let his eyes roam down to her thighs-

_Is that The Child on her underwear?_

~o~

Sedona sat up way too quickly. Her head spun at the effort, she squeezed her eyes shut before they could go cross. Her body felt like it had been run over 8000 times, it ached in protest with every breath. She tried to bring her right hand up to rub her head, but both hands came up with it. Opening her eyes she suddenly remembered.

"Fuuuck" she groaned, dragging out the word like a teenager throwing a fit. There in front of her stood the Mandalorian, his hand hovered over the blaster at his side.

_Why wasn't I dreaming, what is happening to me._

"I think I've decided you can kill me now, maybe that's the only way I'll get out of this hell-dream" she grumbled, moving her hands back down to her lap. Her mouth was dry, and her head was pounding, _I need some fucking Advil._

"We've made it to Tatooine, I need to leave, you stay here, and don't move or touch anything. Or I will take you up on that offer." His voice was firm, the baritone rumbled through the modulator. Her mind started to wander at his words.

 _Tatooine. Tatooine, tatooine, tatooine._ Why couldn't she remember what happened on Tatooine. The memories of the show were fuzzy, dancing at the edge of her brain. She remembers droids, and a small woman, and some douchebag.

_Ah yes, that motherfucker._

"You can't trust the guy at the bar. He's going to betray you" one eye was still closed in a wince as she tried to meet his visor. He paused, she didn't realize he had turned to leave. He slowly turned to face her, and she hoped she looked some what convincing. She didn't know why exactly she had been dropped into her favorite show, but maybe she could change the outcome of some of the less-good things that happen.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but don't talk to anyone either" and then he quickly turned, messing with something on his wrist, and the back door began to fall open.

"Don't shoot the droids!" She tries to call at his retreating back, but her warning obviously didn't make it to him. She heard a blaster shot, and then the high pitched voice of a woman. She smiled to herself, listening to the argument happening outside the ship walls. Speaking of which, the ship looked like shit. In fact, her shit, was every where. And she wasn't even wearing pants.

Sedona quickly decided her first order of business was getting pants onto her legs, despite her hands being cuffed. Surveying the wreckage, she saw most of her clothes thrown around the ship, including her Christmas llama pajama pants that she impulse bought _because they're so fucking soft._

With a deep breath she moved to stand, glancing at her knees in the process. They were angry and red, one scraped and crusted with dry blood. She reached out a tentative finger and poked at them. The action made her hiss in response, even from that small touch she could tell they were swollen. But with determination she placed her hands in front of her, and awkwardly managed to gather her legs underneath herself. Finally standing she could get a better look at where all of her shit was.

Grasping the corner of her suitcase she dragged it over to lean against one of the crates, then turned and began shuffling around, looking for a decent pair of pants, and putting things away. She could tell from the dry heat blowing in from the door she should probably put on shorts. There was also the issue of a brassiere, and for once she was thankful her giant sleep shirt made her look like a cube, because that was definitely not going to happen until her hands were free.

_If your hands get free._

She tried not to think about that too much.

Finally her cuffed hands met the soft fabric of a pair of black cotton shorts. Figuring this would probably be her best bet she began the awkward attempt of putting on pants, with her hands stuck together.

There was a lot of hopping on one foot. And a lot of unnecessary swearing. But she didn't fall, and she was thankful for that.

Finally clothed, she surveyed her scene once more, taking stock of her body, and her surroundings. She had managed to pickup all of her belongings and put them away neatly in her suitcase. Her purse was sitting next to it, and with the way her shoulder, hip, and knees ached. She figured it was probably time for her to take that Advil.

Sitting back down was much harder than standing up, she ended up placing her hands on a crate, and lowering herself down to her knees. After a brief string of curses she placed her hands on the ground to the side and flipped herself around into criss-cross position.

And there directly in front of her was baby fucking yoda.

She jumped in surprise. _How was he so fucking quiet? Why didn't I notice him leave the compartment?_ Her eyes were wide, observing the creature in real life for the first time. He was so tiny, just standing there looking at her with a pouty face, just about the size of a rotisserie chicken. He coo'ed sadly, his big eyes pleading at her for something, and her heart broke.

"Hi little buddy" she wanted to cry, he was so fucking cute. But she knew it wasn't her place, this was a sweet moment between him and Peli, and she wasn't going to mess it up.

"Go on, you should go out there" she whispered, pointing to the open doorway. She could hear her still tinkering out there, muttering to her droids as she worked. She couldn't remember how exactly their interaction started, her brain was foggy, even though she remembers rewatching the show not long before she left for her trip. Brushing the confusion aside for now, she made a shooing motion with her hands.

"Go out there, I'm sure she'll get you some food" she whispered again, giving him a little smile. At the sound of the word food his ears picked up, slowly turning in the direction of the door. Satisfied she leaned back to watch him waddle off. He let out a big cry, that echoed through the walls of the Razor Crest.

"I'd stay in the ship if I were you!" She let out a small laugh, turning back to her original task. Getting that fucking Advil. She reached for her purse, fumbling through it till her hands reached the most precious substance in her current vicinity. Water- an incredibly over priced, half filled, plastic bottle of lukewarm water. Precious nonetheless. She worked to unscrew it, slowly brought it to her lips, and then she heard the slight taps of footsteps on metal.

Slowly turning her head to the side, water bottle still pressed to her lips, she took in the sight of her personal hero slowly climbing the ramp. Yes, Peli Motto was cautiously following the child, who was beelining toward her. Before she could speak, or put her hands up, the woman interrupted her.

"Are you a quarry?" Her voice was rough but curious, and it took her a moment to respond. She didn't really know what to consider herself, she didn't have a bounty that's for sure, but she knew she looked like it with her cuffed hands. Removing the bottle from her lips she spoke.

"N-no, I'm not really sure what I am I guess" she shrugged. It was the truth, and it seemed to make Peli relax, but her brow furrowed deeper in confusion. Before anyone could say anything further, Grogu had reached her leg. Tapping his little clawed hands on her shin, he cooed and looked back at Peli, trying to tell her something.

"Well that little thing seems to like you, why would he have you locked up in here?" Her hands moved to her hips in question, she wanted to laugh, but suppressed it for a smile and a shrug. She was interrupted from talking once again.

"Dank Farrik! Look at your knees, and your head! Did he do this to you?" Her concern was violently maternal. She looked ready to venture out into the desert and drag him back to the ship.

"No no!" She jumped to defend him. The need to clear the name of the man she "knew" overtaking her. "I fell and got roughed up when...we had some rough flying"

Peli didn't look convinced, but she stepped closer to examine her. A gloved hand reached out to turn her head. Sedona had honestly forgotten about the smack to her head. She didn't really want to know what it looked like.

"And he didn't even give you any bacta! That womprat. Come on I'll get you fixed up, and we can have some soup." Her tone was firm. Not to be questioned, it made her smile. "I don't know how to get those cuffs off though so you're stuck like that." 

With that she turned and briskly walked back down the ramp. Sedona turned and looked down to the baby still leaning on her legs. He looked at her curiously, then made a happy gurgle, and followed after Peli. She sighed, screwing the cap back on her bottle, and beginning the process on standing again.

She stood unsure in the hull once more. She didn't really want to upset Din, but then again, she really wanted some magic healing space goo. And with that thought she ventured out of the ship, in to the sandy hangar.

She winced at the heat and dry air, squinting as she took in her surroundings. Machinery and droids littered the area, with 3 pit droids standing at attention in front of her. The sand was soft and warm under her bare feet, she walked toward where Peli was seated with the child. Pausing to hold out her hand to the nearest droid. It booped curiously at her, looking back at its friends before reaching out one of its "hands" and tentatively touched hers.

"Nice to meet you" she smiled and gave a soft greeting. I mean who would actually give up the chance to interact with a real working droid. She turned to Peli's confused gaze.

"At least you don't hate them like that tin can does!" She smiled widely at her. "Come and sit, HEY! Bring us some bacta and some bone broth!" She shouted, and the 3 droids scurried away into the unknown depths of the hangar. She turned to face her, the baby cooing happily at the sound of food coming.

"So I'm Peli, what's your name?" She said, not really looking at her. Instead looking at the little wrinkled head of the baby in her lap. Sedona could see the adoration in her eyes. The rough exterior quickly melting away.

"Sedona" she didn't really know what else to say. Shell-shocked by a woman she only saw on screen holding a conversation with her. Luckily she didn't have to say more, as the 3 droids arrived with what they were carrying. She gratefully accepted the broth in its small brown bowl, and what appeared to be water in a cup. Taking a sip of the water she looked at Peli trying to feed the child the broth. He struggled, instead trying to grasp at the bowl himself.

"I think he likes to do it himself" she offered quietly. She honestly didn't know what she should or shouldn't say. But thankfully Peli just laughed.

"Yeah it appears he does" she said, before relinquishing the bowl to his grabby little hands. "How about we get these bacta patches on you"

She leaned forward with what appeared to be an over sized band-aid. But peeling it away from the 'paper' proved otherwise. Honestly Sedona didn't know what to call anything here. Everything was foreign, and different, and her mind was still in shock. But she could slowly feel it start to crumble around her.

_Okay just deep breaths. We can get through this._

"There, that should feel much better for your knees, and here's one for your head." She set it on the small table they were seated at. She didn't even feel her put the patches on her knees, but she was right it did feel better. It didn't help the way her breathing was becoming quicker. She reached her hand out for the bowl of broth, not liking the way they shook.

The broth was warm and hearty, it could've been chicken, it could've been some kind of weird space meat. She didn't really care, the warmth filled her from the inside, grounding her back to reality. She wouldn't let herself break down. Not yet, not here.

_You cry in the shower like a man._

With that thought she looked back to Peli, who thankfully didn't seem to notice her panic. Instead babbling happily at the child, who had inhaled his broth. She licked her lips, putting on a brave face.

"I think I'm going to go back to the ship for a bit. I've got some things to look through." She smiled at the woman as she looked up to meet her gaze. "Thank you so much for this I really appreciate it."

Peli observed her for a moment too long, making Sedona squirm under her gaze. She really didn't think she could deal with anymore questions. But she nodded in understanding, and went back to doting on the child. Taking this as her cue to leave, she slipped her way off the makeshift stool, grabbing the bandage, and padding her way back to the ship.

She ignored the lump that rose in her throat as she surveyed her belongings. This was all she had, 2 bags and a fucking hotel towel. With a sigh she sunk back down to the floor, the pain in her knees ebbed away to nothing. She clenched her jaw as she felt it wobble.

No this is not who she was. She was a survivor. She had survived worse. And so she rolled up the hotel towel, and placed it on top her suitcase.

With a sigh she leaned against them, getting as comfortable as she could on the metal floor. And closed her eyes.

She never did get that fucking Advil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This was supposed to be only one chapter, but I had to split it into 2 parts because it felt like a giant run on sentence but I’m not really sure. I’m working on making the chapters longer. This is just a lot of intro though, it’ll pick up soon ;) 
> 
> Let me know what you think please! I love hearing from people, it makes my heart warm, and encourages me to keep writing. So thank you so much to everyone who left kudos and comments. I greatly appreciate you.


	5. Roasting the Shit Out of Toro Because he Deserves It.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings- Swearing, Canon Typical Violence, mentions Blood

She honestly didn't know how he was so quiet. That collection of Ironman armor should make much more noise than it does. Or he could have at least woken her up before screaming. 

"HEY" Sedona jumped violently. Her eyes springing open in panic, he wasn't in the ship, but his voice echoed throughout it. She heard the panicked voice of Peli yelling outside. She scooted further into the middle of the hull to peer out of the open door. Din looked as intimidating as he could, shoulders raised and feet wide. Peli marched from her office up to him, cradling a wailing Grogu. 

"Give him to me" she wanted to laugh. The paternal instincts kicked in so fast, albeit a bit misplaced and underdeveloped. But he tried his best. 

"Not so fast! You can't just leave a child all alone like that." Peli cried out, though not entirely alone, she was right. "You know, you have an awful lot to learn about raisin' a young one." 

And then much to Sedona's discomfort, Peli's eyes met hers. 

"AND leaving an injured lady! No water or bandages, that isn't very kind. Prisoner or not." She scowled up at the towering Mandalorian, whose head slowly turned to meet hers. She quickly scooted herself back against the crate. She wasn't ready for that kind of attention, she needed to get her thoughts in order. 

"Anyway-" she racked her brain as she heard Peli continue to talk about the ship. She had gotten this far in the episode, and Din had obviously made the deal with... _that motherfucker whom she cannot remember the name of._ She was so focused on trying to remember she didn't even notice Din had walked back onto the ship. 

"I thought I told you not to talk to anyone." His voice made her jump once again, it was rough, a warning. Her wide eyes met his visor, and suddenly the right words met her tongue. 

"Don't leave him alone with the bounty" they were rushed, she probably looked crazier than Peli's wild curls. "Y-you can't trust him, something bad is going to happen." 

She watched as he turned with a bag in his hand. He looked like he was going to speak, or step closer to her, his body seizing up. Instead, his gloved hand curled into a fist at his side, and he spun quickly on his heel and exited her line of sight. She heard the pair talk a bit more, mostly Peli talking at Din's retreating back. Then she was alone again. And her ass _hurts._

Standing up was much easier now that the magic space goo had somehow healed her knees. Though she had extreme doubts, she sincerely hoped Din might heed her warning. She really did not wan't to be caught in the crossfire of their shoot out that was soon to come. _Maybe that was the worst part about being plunked into this universe._ The constant dread of knowing what's going to happen, and having no power to change it, was going to destroy her. She could already feel the way her body sagged with exhaustion. The ever-present headache was taking a toll on her mind, and her fight or flight response was kicked into high gear. She hadn't felt like this in years. 

Trying to keep her mind from straying too far into the darkness. She decided to do some light exploration of the Razor Crest. She wouldn't touch anything, as Din so _kindly_ instructed. But she was definitely going to touch all over with her eyes. First, she was going to figure out if that man had a shower. She turned opposite the open door and headed in the direction of what looked like an airplane toilet. She was pleased to find a small door stationed adjacent to the weird space toilet. Obviously hidden from view on the show, it was a rickety metal sheet. Actually, everything on the ship was a metal sheet, but she wasn't going to roast it too harshly. Opening it, the oval-shaped door created an edge that she had to step over to enter the small room. The floor and walls were tiled, and there was a small drain in the middle. A large ledge jutted out from the wall at about knee height, above it was what looked like a sink, and a small foggy mirror. Avoiding its reflection, she ventured back further. There was a curtain, pulling it back revealed a showerhead and a series of ledges cut into the wall. She tried to keep her heart from fluttering at the sight of soap bars, and a razor. Then heat began to creep up her spine, embarrassment making its way to her cheeks.

_How fucking old are you 13? Get a hold of yourself._

She spun quickly not wanting to be caught snooping. She felt like a high school girl who had just seen her crush's room for the first time. She was 26 for fucks sake, and it was a bathroom. 

On a space ship. 

On an unknown planet. 

In a universe that had once only existed in media form. 

She wasn't able to wallow in her embarrassment much longer, through the open door she saw Peli return from wherever she had followed Din. She walked with determination, coming up to some kind of machine that was attached to the ship. Sedona didn't really know what to do, she stood awkwardly in the hull of the ship. Listening to Peli mutter to herself, she hated feeling like this. She liked to be moving or at least distracting her brain in some way. Now there was only the unfamiliar ship, her bags were already organized neatly- and then it hit her. 

She still had her phone in her purse. 

Springing into action she darted for her bag, rummaging through it until she finally found it. It was an iPhone and she still had her headphones attached to it. Her heart soared in her body, unable to contain her smile at the sight, relieved to find at least this thing hadn't magically transformed into a space object. But clicking it on she was met with slight disappointment. Only 32% charged, and the fact that her phone was wicked old and functioned at about 60% of its normal battery life, it would be dying soon. _There are no outlets in space._ She thought angrily. So she sighed and set it back into her purse, deciding to save it for when she truly needed a mental escape. For now, she could maybe go and see what Peli was up to. 

And that's how she spent her first evening in space. She sat at the table, watching Peli fix the _Crest._ Or making sure the child didn't eat sand or some shit. Peli didn't talk much while she worked, which she was secretly grateful for. Only asking occasional questions, or pausing to complain about the old ship. Sedona didn't offer much, vague answers, allowing the older woman to speak more than herself. She really didn't feel like having to convince someone else she's from an alternate universe. Especially someone who was very much capable of throwing her into the endless Tatooine desert.

In time it grew darker in the hangar. Peli wiped her hands off on her jumpsuit, leaving grease marks in her wake. Sedona held a sleeping Grogu in her arms, he had been quite a hassle for her to wrangle with her hands still cuffed together. He was quick, and incredibly sneaky when he wanted to be. He currently held some kind of bolt in his little clawed hands, one of the braver droids had given it to him when he was fussing in her lap. 

"How about another round of some bone broth, and then we get some rest." She snapped her fingers at a droid, who scurried off to the back of the hangar quickly. "It looks like that little stinker has the right idea." Peli sat, the smell of oil and metal rolling off her. She grabbed the cup of water she had sipping out of periodically and drank. Then she turned to Sedona, who up until this moment had been zoned out, staring at the shadows cast on the ground.

"You look like you've seen some shit." Sedona's heart nearly stopped at that, but when she met Peli's eyes they glittered with amusement in the dim light of the hangar. 

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," she said with a laugh and a shrug. Then a droid appeared next to her, carrying more bowls of broth. She accepted it, thanking the droid once again. The liquid warmed her, she didn't consider how cold a desert got a night, and her shorts and men's t-shirt didn't exactly hold much warmth. But the broth helped, and she tried not to let Peli notice her shivers. 

"Listen, I wanted to ask you something" Sedona almost choked on her broth. "I heard what you said to the Mandalorian, why do you think he can't trust that other bounty hunter?" Peli's gaze was quizzical, genuine curiosity, not suspicion. It gave Sedona confidence, but not enough to tell her the full truth. 

"I guess I just have a really bad feeling, I think there's something off about the deal." She said after swallowing, and Peli was silent for a moment. Searching her gaze before suddenly leaning forward. 

"You know I was thinking the exact same thing." She said it like it was the juiciest secret in school. "There was just something off in his eyes." She finished with a nod. Sedona couldn't stop her smile. She felt the beginnings of a friendship blossoming there in the cool evening. She hoped it wouldn't be ripped away from her too soon. 

They finished their broth in comfortable silence. Then Peli rose, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Well, I'm going to take this little womprat to the back with me, if you need anything just holler," she said, reaching down to scoop the sleeping bundle from her lap. "You sure you'll be all right in that ship by yourself?" 

"I'll be okay," she said with a smile, trying to look convincing "but Peli, if you see anything happening, take the child and run." 

Her face turned serious, and she gave a curt nod. 

"I'll make sure the droids stay awake, they'll give us a good warning" and with another nod, and a pointed look at the group of droids, she turned to the back of the hangar.

Sedona was alone again, and fear was beginning to crawl up her spine. She had to prepare herself. Somehow, she wasn't going to let that fucker touch baby Grogu. 

**_~o~o~o~_ **

Night came and went, Sedona spent it pacing. Somehow, that sneaky tin can had taken her taser, and her Swiss army knife. Leaving her with only pepper spray from her keychain to defend herself. She held it tightly in 2 hands, having finally sat down when she saw the hangar becoming light again. She heard Peli out in the open area, talking to the droids and the child. 

"Here's a ration bar, I'm going to try to finish these repairs before the Mandalorian gets back." Peli had walked into the ship quietly, giving her the foil-wrapped bar, the child gurgling on her hip. The tension was thick between them, both women could sense something _wrong._ But if Peli wanted to say anything more she didn't, instead turning her attention to the ship, the child held tightly to her. Sedona honestly didn't feel like eating, her head was pounding again. The effort of trying to figure out the plot was scrambling her brain. 

She didn't know how exactly to define it, but it felt like the memories of the show were drifting away from her. Scenes she had remembered and re-watched multiple times now were faint memories. It felt like she was losing her mind, literally the only information she needed right now was dissolving like snow in her fingers. So she settled for clutching her pepper spray and hoping the droids gave her a good warning like Peli said. 

The droids held up their end well. 

It was maybe 3 or 4 hours later, Peli had miraculously just taken Grogu to the back for some food and a nap. When suddenly the droids went absolutely batshit crazy. 

Sedona sprung from her spot on the floor, her headache was instantly forgotten as she squeezed herself against an indent in the wall of the ship. Hoping to spring on the hunter. She heard his blaster fire, then it was eerily quiet. 

_God, I hope they can get out of here._

Sedona tried to keep her mind from straying from the task at hand. She tried to keep her breathing quiet, straining her ears for any sounds. 

_Those shitty self-defense classes are going to have to work today._

There were footsteps on the ramp. Slow, but heavy, he really was a pretty shitty bounty hunter. She switched the safety off on her pepper spray, trying to judge where he was on the ship by the sound of his footsteps. Then the barrel of a gun crept into her line of sight, and she didn't hesitate. 

Springing from her hiding spot she sprayed upwards, toward what she hoped were his eyes. Based on the shouting she was successful. She did her best to ignore the burn in her own eyes as the fumes carried toward her. Taking his surprise as an advantage she attempted to kick him in the balls. 

Keyword- attempted. 

Sedona did not consider the fact, that he might be wearing goggles. And that he might catch her leg. With a shove, she was sent sprawling onto the floor, with no way to catch herself. Her butt hit the ground hard, knocking the breath out of her. She looked up to meet a gut-churning smile. 

_What a fucking dick._

"That tasted awful, but I don't think it did what you wanted it to." He said with a smug smirk, he was so incredibly proud of himself. "Look at this! A third bounty, I'm going to be the king of the Guild!" 

Well, if Sedona couldn't beat him physically. She was going to try to demolish his ego. 

"Fuck you, Toro, this is why your mom doesn't FUCKING love you" the words were filled with rage as they flew out of her mouth, she lunged toward him. Her mind suddenly supplying the correct name when she needed it most. His face immediately fell, twisting into shock and confusion. 

"What do you know about my mother?" he sneered, taking a few steps forward to tower over her on the ground. But his intimidating stance did nothing to stop the pure hatred Sedona felt in her heart.

"You look like you watch Big Bang Theory on purpose." It was one of her more creative insults, her new goal was distraction. Try and confuse him as much as she could, so that hopefully Peli could escape with the child. It seemed to work so far. 

"I don't know what that means, but I would shut the hell up if I were you" he leaned down and sneered at her. She grit her teeth, the insults flowing fast.

"Your earring looks like shit"

"I said shut up!" He raised his blaster to her head, a position she had just recently became familiar with. She met his eyes, and with as much bitterness as she could muster, she put the nail in her coffin.

"I know how you die, and you die like a bitch." 

That was the last thing she could say. Toro reacted very poorly, to say the least. 

And for the first time in her life, Sedona was pistol-whipped across the head. Toro stalked away from her body that laid slumped on the ship floor. Continuing on his original journey, much more confused and irritated. 

**_~o~o~o~_ **

The Mandalorian could not shake the sick feeling in his gut as he tied the dewback to the hitch outside of Hangar 3-5. One look at the speeder outside had the mysterious woman's words repeating in his head. 

_You can't trust him, something bad is going to happen._

It really didn't help that she was right. In fact, he hated that she was right. It was making his decision on what to do with her much harder. He unclipped his blaster, drawing it ahead of him as he made his way down the stairs. The hangar was quiet, aside from the annoying droid that startled him. He slowly made his way through the sand toward his ship. 

"Took you long enough Mando" there he was. He stalked forward raising his blaster up into the dark ship. Calican emerged; somehow he got angrier at the sight of the child in his arm, and the scared woman who had been kind to him caught in this mess. "Looks like I'm calling the shots now. Huh, partner?" 

Din wanted to roll his eyes and shoot him right then. 

"Drop your blaster and raise 'em." This time he couldn't stop the eye roll, instead having to suppress an annoyed sigh as he carelessly flung his blaster to the ground. Twisting his body in a way that let him quickly grab a flash charge. He truly was a pretty shitty bounty hunter, this would be his final mistake. Din was irritated, just waiting for the right moment to strike. Calican handed it to him on a silver platter. 

"Cuff him." After that, Din really didn't give a shit about what this guy said. Instead watching as the woman approached him with the bindings. He rolled the flash charge in-between his fingers. Waiting. 

"You're smarter than you look" the woman whispered in his ear. Obviously not, if only he had listened to the woman she left in his ship. He wouldn't be in this mess. 

The right moment came as Calican raised his blaster higher. The flash brightening the entire hangar for just long enough, Din slipped behind some of the junk lying around. Coming around the side before Calican even knew he had disappeared. It was over quickly, his body tumbled off the ramp, taking the child with it. 

"Stay back." He tried to tell the woman, who scrambled quickly over to him as he went to inspect the body. He didn't like the way she fumbled around him, grabbing his cape as he tried to make sure the man was actually dead. Then he heard the babbles of the child. He didn't really register what she was saying to him, just thankful she was calming him down. Inspecting the body he found what he was looking for, the bag of credits was heavy in his hand. 

Turning to the woman holding the child, he prepared to pay and leave. 

"Be careful with him." She said, the child simply snorting as he was placed back in his arms. She then tried to break some of the tension, bringing up the question that Din knew she would ask. "So I take it you didn't get paid." 

Din didn't really feel the need to say anything. Instead pouring the contents of the pouch into her outstretched hands. But he decided to make sure. 

"That cover me?" The woman sputtered in response, giving a shocked form of Yes. Din then turned, making his way back to his ship, babbling baby in tow. Until he was stopped. 

"Listen, I don't know what you plan on doing with that girl, but she fought to distract him. She tried to make sure I could get away with the baby." Din turned back to the woman, his curiosity peaking. "She told him she knew how he died, and something tells me she did. Sh-she was very nice and helpful. I think you should give her a chance." 

Din thought about it for a moment. It seems she was truthful about yet another thing she said to him. 

" _I would protect the child with my life."_

Internally he was glad it hadn't come to that, or so the woman who stared up at him made it seem. He nodded at her, hoping he conveyed his understanding and turned back to enter his darkened ship. He heard her yelling at her droids, but he was more concerned with finding out what state his ship was in. As the ramp closed, he flipped back on the lights. With a heavy sigh, he observed the way her body was crumpled on the floor once again. 

There was a large, bloodied scrape on her temple, the area already beginning to bruise. The child was struggling in his arms again, letting out indignant cries as he reached for the girl on the floor. He set him down next to her and reached to grab her under the shoulders and knees. Deciding to move her much gentler than he had the first time. He didn't really know where to put her though; he spun in his ship, her body limp in his arms, the child followed him in circles crying out in frustration. 

His eyes landed on his sleeping compartment, figuring that was better than nothing. He quickly set her into it. Taking a moment to remove the cuffs still on her wrists, he internally cringed at the redness. _Another thing he should apologize for._ He didn't feel comfortable sitting in the hangar for much longer. He scooped up the child, who was trying in vain to climb into the compartment with her. 

"Come on we have to get outta here" he grumbled to the child, who was squirming in his arm. He paused to look up at him, angrily babbling at him before resorting to pouting as he was hauled into the cockpit. Din started the ship quickly, not entirely certain where he was going. He only knew he needed to sit down with the woman in the hull, and really figure out what the hell she was talking about. 

**_~o~o~o~_ **

Sedona really didn't want to wake up. In her dream, she was warm and comfortable, and definitely not about to get crazy-murdered by a space villain. Whatever she was laying on was slightly squishier than the floor, but only slightly. It felt like if you were to lay a thin yoga mat onto a wood floor and then tried to take a nap on it. But she kept her eyes closed, trying to stay in her comfortable bubble just a few moments longer. Whoever was shaking her leg did not get the message.

"Please, just let me pretend this isn't happening for a little while longer" she grumbled, not yet opening her eyes. She tried to imagine her bed again, her soft blankets, and a cup of her favorite tea. She could pretend her head didn't hurt, and her body didn't hurt, and her brain didn't hurt. She could pretend she didn't have to open her eyes and face more confusion and struggle. 

"Please, I'd like to talk." A soft modulated voice was not what she expected. She slowly opened her eyes, taking in the metal ceiling above her. With a deep breath, she slowly sat up, taking in the sight before her. At some point, after she had been knocked out, she had been placed in Din's sleeping compartment. At the end of the 'bed' (she didn't really want to call it a bed this was awful) stood the Mandalorian himself, and Grogu was vigorously shaking her leg with 2 hands. He babbled excitedly when she sat up, looking up at her and giving a wide smile. "How is your head?" 

The new gentle tone was mind-boggling. She could only stare at him, mouth open like a fish. Her head was bad actually, feeling very bad. She just got smacked across the head with a gun, she couldn't imagine how she looked. But the sudden shift in mood was what confused her most; there was a stumbling, awkward, sort of kindness in the way he stood and spoke to her. She searched the visor a bit more, not really sure what she was looking for. A particularly loud coo broke her from her distraction. 

"It... could be better I suppose." She licked her lips, mind suddenly wandering in fear. "Where are we? Are we stopped?" The Mandalorian couldn't afford to just stop, so they had to be in hyperspace or he wouldn't be down here. _Why was he down here exactly? When did the cuffs come off?_

"Yes, we're still on Tatooine, I— I wanted to talk to you," he cleared his throat. "I had some things to say, and to ask." He turned and walked further into the ship, she just now noticed the door was open. Showing the dark Tatooine desert. 

Oh! 

She was going to be dropped off here. Left to wander the space desert. It was a short run of things, but at least it was horrible while it lasted. She slowly got up, moving around the child to set her feet on the cold ground. The child babbled up at her, raising his arms, and for a brief moment, she considered picking him up. Her mind flirted with the idea of carrying him over to the metal man who leaned against the hatch door. Looking out to the rolling sands together, in peace. But instead, she grabbed her purse and prepared for the worst. 

"So I guess this is it?" She paused next to Din, nervously looking up at him as she twirled her purse strap in her hands. His helmet snapped to her, quickly his body followed, straightening out to face her completely. He looked down at her for a long time, his body tense. Her body heated up under his gaze, feeling even more nervous under the scrutiny. 

"Do you think I'm leaving you out here?" He tilted his head at her, it was almost condescending. If she was able to re-wind it and analyze the tone of his voice, she would've caught the amusement. 

"Well I mean you did leave me handcuffed on the ship for like 3 days, and then brought the Crest out to the desert. Which you would never do if you weren't going to...leave me here" she rambled. Her eyes searched the area around them, not meeting his visor. He was silent once again, just watching her squirm under his gaze. She didn't know how to read him in real life, he was so much taller, and without the fan analysis she could skim through, a lot of his body language was lost. 

"I was going to apologize..." he paused, his voice soft but gravely. Her mouth dropped open, slowly looking up to his helmet. "I'm sorry for leaving you cuffed in the ship, but you have to admit, you sounded pretty crazy." 

The humor was detectable now, and after a long moment Sedona smiled, and as the words penetrated her brain a little deeper. A chuckle bubbled into her throat, and before she knew it she was laughing. It wasn't that funny honestly, but this was the first display of emotional release her body had experienced in a while, so it kind of went overboard. When she finally calmed down she was breathless, tears gathered in her eyes. Mando just looked at her, head tilted in confusion, and when he folded his arms over his chest, she knew he was irritated. 

"I'm sorry... that wasn't that funny, but I think I need to cry and that's as close as I'm going to get." She wiped a tear from her eye, looking back at the still Mandalorian. She quickly dropped her face when she saw the way he was standing, straightened her shoulders. "W-what else did you want from me?" She should know better to think she was off the hook, he could still freeze her in carbonite. He would probably be able to get some sort of profit from her. The thought had her shrinking, she suddenly felt small again. 

With a hefty sigh, he readjusted, facing back toward the endless desert. His trend of silence was much more daunting when it wasn't happening on a tv screen. Suddenly something grabbed her ankle. Of course, how could she forget the 3rd passenger? With an incredibly grumpy face and some mighty grumpy squeals, he reached his arms up to her as hard as he could. She smiled in pity at him, it didn't feel right to pick him up in front of Din. It wasn't her place, and she really didn't want to upset him when he was deciding her fate. 

"You can pick him up." His voice was soft again, though he hadn't turned to look at them. "He seems to like you a lot" Her eyes glowed, and with free hands, she bent down and picked up the little one. Finally being able to hold him properly was wonderful, he was a comfortable weight in the crook of her arm. His little dish towel onesie soft on her skin, she smiled at him, and he cooed happily. Looking up she found Din had turned around, looking on with a tilted gaze. 

"I want to know... do things work out well for him." It was almost a whisper, true concern laced in his modulated voice. She had to think about it for longer than she wanted. Yes, as far as she knew things went relatively well for the child, as for the man protecting him that was different. 

"You have lots of adventures, but he makes it out okay." She gave him a small closed-mouth smile. Thinking further filled her with hope. "D-does... this mean you trust me?" She searched his visor, hoping she met his eyes. 

"I..." He cut off, his head shaking. "I don't know for sure what to think, I know you're not a threat, but I can't...comprehend the things you've told me." He inhaled deeply, letting out a long sigh. A gloved hand reached out to stroke the ear of the child. "But I can't shake the feeling that I need you with me, so I suppose you should stick around for a while." 

As if he understood Grogu chirped happily up at you. His head turning back and forth between the two of you. Sedona's heart soared. She couldn't stop the smile that crept its way onto her cheeks. She felt like jumping, but she resorted to squeezing the little guy tighter to her chest. 

"Thank you." It came out in a whisper, she hoped he could register her gratefulness through his helmet. Grogu gave a little cheer, reaching up one clawed hand to tap her cheek. 

"Well...don't get too comfortable, I'll need your help." There was the familiar grumble. She dropped her smile quickly. 

"You got it. I used to be a babysitter, I'll earn my keep." She gave a sharp nod, determination overtaking her face. But another tap to her cheek had her cracking a smile once again. 

"Can you fight?" That question was a bit trickier to answer. While she had a knife and a taser, there was no formal training to back them. 

"I... had to take a few self-defense classes, but I didn't have many options in my city." She answered with a shrug. "But I'm willing to learn." She said, determined. No, she wasn't a gifted fighter yet, but if that's how she would be able to survive here, then she was going to become the best damn fighter this galaxy had seen. 

"Good." He said, seemingly satisfied, and gave her a nod before abruptly turning back to the ship. "Then I'll train you when we're able to stop, but for now, we keep going." With that he brushed past her, the hatch closing behind him. She watched as he made his way up the ladder, she heard the hiss of the cockpit doors opening. She looked down at the gremlin in her arms, and his big eyes looked back at her. A smile showing off his nubby teeth on his little face. With a shrug, she walked back over to the sleeping compartment. 

Now as she looked over her belongings, 2 bags, and a fucking hotel towel. It didn't seem so bad. 

She should really put on a bra now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOah!  
> This was a lot, 5.3k words a lot. Let me know if this is a better chapter length. But that's why it took a bit longer to come out. 
> 
> Let me know what you think! I hope I did the characters justice, and I hope you like the dynamic between Din and Sedona.  
> I posted a few character aesthetics on my Tumblr if you wanted to check them out, and you can always drop a follow and message me over there if you'd like! https://punkrock-writer.tumblr.com/post/640900120762793984/is-this-still-a-thing-people-do-let-me-know-if 
> 
> and just a reminder I’m de-aging Din just a bit, he's mid to late 20's here, just like Sedona, just making it easier to write him. 
> 
> I hope you guys liked it! Thank you for the kudos and comments! I love hearing from ya'll! 
> 
> And yeah the ending is cheesy, I am the mayor of cheese-ville what did you expect she deserVES A BREAK.


	6. Never Fight a Man With a Perm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings- Swearing, Canon Typical Violence, Blood. The gang from episode 6 are dicks. 
> 
> This chapter was inspired by the song: Never Fight a Man With a Perm by IDLES

After almost taking another roll around the ship — thanks to Din's lack of a warning — Sedona was now aware of what hyperspace felt like. It was actually rather calm, quiet, and still. She wished she could see it, but she didn't really know if she should attempt to enter the cockpit. Instead, turning to face her bags, she figured it was a good time to get some real clothes on. The child cooed sadly when she set him down in the sleeping compartment, and though she hated to, she ignored him and knelt by her suitcase. Searching for something somewhat warm through the clothes that were packed for Florida was proving difficult. She settled on black leggings, an old grey Ron Jon Surf Shop hoodie, and a pair of soft crew socks. A sports bra and a fresh pair of underwear completed the 'look' and she gathered her things and headed to the shower room. 

Not before quickly turning back and grabbing her deodorant, because, _ yuck. _

With a deep breath, she decided it was finally time to look at herself. 

Nothing was exciting or truly different to note about the person reflected to her in the foggy mirror. It was the same girl, blue eyes, short brown hair, but now there was a brand new massive bruise on her left temple. Her dark circles were deeper, and her eyes were tired. But other than the wound there was nothing new. She discarded her pajamas, and slipped into the clean clothes, she never thought it would feel this good to be fully covered. Her arms all the way to her toes now concealed in comfortable fabric, and she was grateful. She quickly put her hair into a folded bun, and set to her second task, putting that extra bacta patch on her head. 

Peli made it look much easier. Whatever it was, was slimy and hard to get a grip on, but once it was placed, it stuck. So now she had a slightly lopsided, oversized band-aid on her head. And she knew it was going to hurt like a bitch to yank out of her hair. Taking one last look in the mirror, she sighed. 

Honestly, she looked like she was about to go take a plane trip back home, and it tugged her heart a little bit. 

Shaking her head she picked her things back up and opened the door to exit into the hull. A shiny helmet of beskar startled her, he must've just jumped down from the cockpit, as he was facing her through the ladder. She tried not to think too much about the way he stared for a bit too long, most likely just assessing her change in appearance. Before she could say anything he turned sharply, stepping over to where the child pouted in the sleeping compartment. She scooted by them, heading to put her things back in her bag. And when she straightened up to see what he was doing, he was already halfway up the ladder, taking the child with him. 

Sedona tried not to dwell on it too much, it's not like he knew her, he barely even trusted her. He didn't owe her any more kindness than he was already giving her. But it really didn't help when she felt like she knew  _ him.  _ She needed to get that idea out of her head, she didn't know jack shit about what went through his head. Seeing someone on screen is so much different than actually being around them, and Sedona had to make sure she didn't get too comfortable too fast— she couldn't afford any slip-ups. So for now she would take it slow, tiptoe around the Crest, and do what she needed to do when called. 

In pursuit of being quiet, she decided now might be a good time to check her phone. She settled herself in the sleeping compartment, purse in her lap, and plucked it from the bag. The time read 10:34 am, and obviously, there was no way of telling if that was right. Her calendar read two days since she had been ripped from her hotel room, and she was pretty sure that would be reliable. As long as she had some way of knowing how long she'd been here, she could keep herself grounded. 

It didn't even cross her mind that she should try to find some way to get back home. 

Sedona dozed off after a while, curled around her purse in the sleeping compartment. Her circadian rhythm was thrown off, or maybe it was like some kind of space-sickness. She was just tired, and she didn't know what else to do. The plot was getting scrambled in her head, and until Din jogged her mind in some way, she wasn't going to risk getting a headache thinking about it. 

So she slept, the soft hum of hyperspace lulling her into relaxation, no matter how uncomfortable the bed was.

**_ ~o~o~o~ _ **

That was how Din found her a few hours later. Curled like a lothcat around one of her smaller bags. The child gurgled in happiness at the sight of her— he was the reason they were down there, wailing incessantly at the ladder. He didn't understand why he liked her so much, but if he trusted anyone, it was the child. So he set him down next to her knees, a position they had just recently been in. The child began climbing up her legs, and Din could only look on in amusement as she grumbled something incoherent. 

The toddler reached his intended destination, her shoulder, and began to tap his tiny hands on her cheek. Din couldn't stop a small smile from breaking his features, thankful for the helmet once again. Her eyes popped open, panic clear on her features as she turned to look at what was tapping her face, and a smile overtook her. 

"Hey little guy, how'd you get up there." Din pretended not to notice the roughness of her voice or the sleepy smile that turned to face him. "Oh I see now, you had an accomplice." 

She slowly sat up, taking care to hold the child steady. She folded her legs in front of her, setting him in her lap. The child smiled up at him, and before he could stop himself, a gloved hand reached out and stroked his ear. Din wasn't used to showing affection in front of others, especially people he didn't fully trust. But the atmosphere was so relaxed, and it seems his body reacted before his mind could stop it. 

"Did we stop somewhere?" Her quiet voice broke him out of his trance, his head snapped back up to meet hers. She looked worried, her eyes searched the helmet, and her teeth caught her bottom lip. Din told himself he was just observing a possible threat, analyzing her tells. 

Subconsciously, that was a different story. 

"No," he paused to clear his throat when it came out in a whisper. "I've picked up a job, I'm changing our course, and we'll be there in an hour... I just—" well Din didn't really know  _ why  _ exactly he felt the need to warn her. "I just wanted to know if you had... anything to tell me." Right, just trying to get information. Her eyes seemed to light up in recognition, her brow furrowed in concentration. 

"Who- or what is the job exactly." She looked confused still, her eyes zoned in on something in the distance, deep in thought. 

"It's with an old... acquaintance of mine." His voice was rougher than he intended, still not really enjoying the idea of the job. But by the way her eyes darkened, he knew it was probably going to be a big mistake. 

**_ ~o~o~o~ _ **

Sedona's mind instantly hooked onto the information and dragged it from the depths of the scramble. This situation, she knew well. This episode, she had watched,  _ many  _ times. For the plot... not for the way the red lights danced off beskar or the amazingly hot fight scenes. 

No for the plot. 

She knew what she needed to do. 

"They betray you, they're going to try and shove you in a cell and leave you there... and a droid tries to shoot the baby— and they're all massive dicks, every one of them." Okay. That sounded crazy, she didn't mean for everything to tumble out like that. According to the way Din suddenly stood straight and alert, she probably didn't say the right things. "Wait... but you get out of it, no one gets hurt— except for the assholes— but they deserved it a-and you get money." 

He just stood there, still as a rock. She couldn't imagine how all of that sounded to him. He probably didn't even know what the mission was supposed to be, and she had already informed him it was doomed from the start. 

_ Yeah, I gotta work on the info delivery.  _

He let out a long sigh. His fingers twitched at his side, he probably would've rubbed his forehead in frustration if he could. She could feel herself shrinking in the silence, she unconsciously held onto the baby in her lap a little tighter. He cooed at her, seemingly sensing her anxiety. His little 3 clawed hands tapped at hers that held his waist.

"Well... like I said, an hour." He then turned and quickly made his way to the ladder. Climbing into the cockpit in almost record time. Sedona let a long sigh escape her, bringing one hand up to rub her eyes. She wasn't tired anymore, anxiety had squandered that quickly. 

She had to either, A. Figure out some way to keep Din from being tricked and captured. Or B. Make sure Grogu doesn't alert the droid of his presence. For some reason, the situation felt wrong. She knew this mission was on course to go sour, but there was a bad feeling whispering at the edges of her mind. 

Everything was feeling super, extra, bad and it was making her stomach hurt. 

Or maybe she was just fucking  _ starving.  _

Sedona realized she had never eaten the 'bar' Peli had given her. And an all-liquid diet the day before probably wasn't helping her whole,  _ situation.  _ Moving the child from her lap, she placed her feet on the ground. Thankful for her socks as the cold of the metal seeped through the fabric. She walked over to her suitcase— not really remembering where she had put the food— the entire evening leading up to her fight with Toro was a blur. When she didn't find it in her purse, she searched through her suitcase. Her hands touched the foil wrapping, and suddenly there was another presence at her side. 

The little green gremlin was a bloodhound for food, it was like he read her mind and teleported to her. Letting out an excited squeal when she brought the bar into view, Sedona couldn't help but laugh with him. Sitting cross-legged in front of her suitcase she invited him to sit with her. And with more adorable grunts and snorts he sat down in between her legs, eyes never leaving the bar. 

"Okay we can share, but don't tell your dad" she whispered, he made a soft coo in response. The bar looked like someone had put a granola bar through a grinder, and then reformed it back into a bar. Not exactly the most appetizing thing, but food was food, and the little guy seemed excited. She broke off a small piece— yes she had witnessed the child swallow a frog whole— but he was so little in front of her, so she went by baby rules and gave him something small. He grabbed it in his little hands, and then she broke off a piece for herself. 

It was dry, and tasted kind of like a protein bar, but not at all like a protein bar. It was just different, but with the way the child inhaled it, she knew it was probably worth eating. They carried on like this till it was gone, Grogu munching happily, not minding the crumbs that fell into his lap. She was able to choke it down with the assistance of the water bottle that still sat in her purse. But eating didn't seem to help the way her stomach twisted in worry. When she wasn't distracting herself by watching the child, her mind wandered dangerously.

She couldn't tell if the walls her mind had put up the moment she dropped on the Crest were finally crumbling. Or if something was actually wrong. Her head was starting to hurt again, and now with a stomach ache, she felt like she was starting to break down. She needed another distraction. 

Crumbling up the wrapper she turned to her suitcase. The child babbled a little, probably wondering if she had more food. Instead, she was just looking for anything; she moved through everything in the bag, toiletries, bras, a journal. And then she felt something solid. Her boots! She had honestly figured she didn't have any shoes here. Those had been the first thing to come out of her suitcase when she got to her hotel. But now, pulling her work boots from the depths, it was the first time she had actually been excited to see them. They were beat up hiking boots, with the perfect amount of ankle support and non-slip bottom to make it in space. 

"Well, are you gonna let me put these on or what?" She said to the child in her lap, he tilted his head with a coo. She slowly started to straighten her legs, he made a squeal and then started to wiggle away from her. She laughed, helping him get off her lap and setting him to the side. He grunted, loudly, instantly very mad at her. She chuckled again, trying not to notice the way her hands shook as she began to lace up her boots. 

Grogu toddled over to the ladder, reaching his arms up toward the cockpit. She couldn't help the smile, she finished tying her boots, standing, and headed over to the child. He was hanging from the 3rd rung of the ladder, obviously getting his speed from his father, she was able to catch him just as his 3 fingers slid off the metal. She rose and looked up with anticipation, obviously he wanted to go up there, and that meant she would have to... talk to Din. 

She swallowed, but the baby in her arms let out an impatient squeal, reaching his arms up. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. 

"Um... D-Mando" she called, catching herself on the name quickly. "G-The kid wants to come up, i-is it alright if I bring him up." She hated the way she was stumbling through this, it shouldn't be that difficult to ask, but she almost shaking in fear at the prospect of being dropped off on the next planet. Her subconscious was telling her the Din she knew wouldn't do that, but this wasn't the Din she 'knew', this was a stranger.  _ God, why did this have to be so complicated?  _

There was a long daunting pause. "Just don't touch anything." She let out a sigh of relief, and quickly attempted the climb to the cockpit. Proving to be much trickier with one hand. Her head breached the hole, and in front of her was something amazing. The cockpit of the Razor Crest lit up with the blue streaks of hyperspace. She stopped, awestruck at all of the buttons and levers, all of the details laid out before her. She didn't even notice the child wiggling out of her grasp. 

It was beautiful, but also so terrifying. She watched the expanse of space whiz by, something her mind could've never been able to comprehend. And as she stared, she didn't notice when the pilot's chair slowly turned.

"You can come inside." She jumped at his voice, eyes meeting the helmet she didn't know was facing her. She quickly shut her mouth, just now realizing Grogu had made his way to Din's lap. Slowly, she finished the climb up the ladder and found herself at the door to the cockpit. Tentatively she stepped inside, eyes still wide in wonder, and made her way to the chair behind Din's left shoulder. He turned back to the controls, or more back to making sure the child didn't touch anything. She sat down slowly, still not entirely certain this was all real. 

Swirling blue was constantly moving above and before her, it was mesmerizing, she felt herself getting lost in it. She could probably look at it for the rest of her life. It was the  _ perfect  _ distraction. Or until someone broke her from her daze, but she didn't expect that to happen anytime soon. Instead, she sat quietly, trying to take up as little space in the room as she could. Her thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind, she was allowed this brief moment of peace. 

Sedona had held it together surprisingly well, though it was more likely she was in shock. Numb is what she would call it, seeing everything moving around her, but she didn't really feel it. A mild form of disassociation is probably what a therapist would tell her, her body was in survival mode while her brain just followed, screaming from the shadows. But at this current moment, her mind was quiet, the rolling blue was enough. 

Comfortable silence, the baby sleeping, his snores being the only thing breaking through the hum of hyperspace. The pair sat quietly for what seemed to be a long time. It was the first moments of calm both had experienced at the same time, hopefully, it wouldn't be the last. In the past, the silence would have irked her, gnawed at her stomach. She probably would've started a conversation with anyone in the room. But now, it felt okay, her mind felt at ease for the first time since she'd got here. She ignored the voice that whispered,  _ maybe it's him.  _

A sudden beeping broke through the serene atmosphere, Sedona jumped, while Din only moved his helmet. His hands reached out to flick some switches and punch some buttons. 

She secretly wished she might be able to figure out what it all meant, but she wasn't going to get her hopes up. 

"We're dropping out of hyperspace, hold on." It was an off-hand comment she realized because she didn't even have time to straighten in her spine when the ship seemed to lurch forward. Her hands flew to her sides, gripping the seat quickly. With the sudden movement, all of her anxieties flew into her throat. And as another giant space ship came into view, another emotion came forward. 

Rage. 

"Oh, those fuckers." The words were growled out before she even knew her mouth was open. Her eyes widening in surprise as a T-shaped visor snapped to face her. She could only shrug in response, it was the truth. Deep down, she was glad to know her shock-induced state hadn't taken everything from her, she could still talk some smack. 

That was going to cause problems. 

"You're staying on the ship, with the child." He had turned back to the controls, grasping the handles with gloved hands. The child in question had just woken up, cooing curiously at the scene change. "Make sure he doesn't cause any trouble, or whatever you said happens." She heard him and understood. But she was focused on trying to figure out how the hell she was going to hold her tongue when she knew what was about to happen. Din seemed to notice her unease, his helmet shifted slightly toward her, most likely confused by the white-knuckle grip she still had on the seat. 

"You're going to have to gag me." The realization came suddenly, it was the only way, she did not trust herself to keep quiet. Din fully spun to face her now, even without seeing his face she could tell he was surprised and mad. She aimed for his eyes beneath the black visor, "It's the only way to shut me up." He let out a long sigh, that ended more in a frustrated growl. 

"Are you serious?" His voice was sharp, serious disbelief. She nodded, it was ridiculous she knew, but with all the choice words swirling in her head, and the way she didn't have full control of herself, it really was the only way. With another growl-sigh he leaned down, ripping off a strip of material from his cape, and handed it to her, then he more or less shoved the child in her lap. "Just go— take him to the sleeping compartment, and... do it yourself." 

She stood and left quickly, not wanting to anger him further. She staggered her way down the ladder, Grogu laughing at her struggles. She was panicking, her eyes darted over everything quickly, setting the child in the compartment she went over to her things. She zipped her suitcase closed, then hooked the handle to one of the nets that hung on the wall, hoping that would keep it out of way. Then with her purse, she made her way over to Grogu and climbed in after him. He babbled excitedly, not picking up on the frazzled emotions that were rolling off her in waves. 

"We are going to have a totally chill time in here." She said to the child, though it was also mostly to herself. She adjusted till her back was against the wall, and allowed Grogu to clamber onto her lap. "It's gonna be totally cool and nothing bad is going to happen, alright?" Her voice had risen multiple octaves, and it seemed the gremlin had finally caught on to her panic. He tilted his head at her, making a much smaller, almost sadder sound. She instantly felt bad; making shushing noises, she rubbed his little back as he pouted up at her. The ship started to wobble, Din was maneuvering it into the bigger space ship, she held onto the little creature. And with a big thump, they were stopped. 

Sedona let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Grogu's ears seemed to perk up at that, he settled down onto her lap. Listening carefully to the noises above her, she could hear Din moving around before steps began to descend on the ladder. He paused in front of the compartment, carefully observing the situation. Sedona could only stare back, doing her best not to let him know how scared she was, but he probably had a fear sensor on his helmet. Before he could turn away her voice betrayed her again. 

"Di-Mando... could I have a weapon." It was a whisper, she was doing the best she could to hold herself together. But this was becoming more and more real by the second. He stared at her for much longer than she wanted, even Grogu made a small whine at the atmosphere. Then his hand moved to his wrist, tapping something, and a compartment opened adjacent to the one she was in. She peaked around the corner, eyes widening at all of the weapons laid out. And she almost laughed at the sight of her pink taser, placed there among all of the space gadgets. He grabbed that, setting it in front of her. 

Without a word, he turned, fingers working at his wrist again. Almost simultaneously, the weapons doors and the door to her compartment shut. While the side ship door opened. She and Grogu were alone in the dimly lit compartment. He turned to look at her, head tilting in confusion. And she could only shrug in response.

There was silence on the ship for what felt like hours. Sedona and Grogu sat quietly, only the child breaking the silence with his babbles. She would shush him quickly; not really knowing when the crew would be joining the ship, and she didn't want their cover blown sooner than it needed to be. When his fussing became a bit more persistent, she gave him her keys that were still tucked in her purse. His big eyes widened further, entranced by the shiny metal and jingles. 

_ Because how else do you calm a baby you don't know what to do with, you give it your keys. Fuck.  _

A heavy sigh passed through her as she leaned her head back against the wall. She's trying desperately to keep her emotions under control, obviously, Grogu could sense them, so if she was calm, he was calm. And that was most important right now. Her mind was constantly on edge, just waiting for something to happen. She didn't want to tie her mouth yet, fearing it would startle the child. Instead, she chewed on her lip, distracted by the soft tinkling of her keys. 

The wait was soon over. 

Metallic footsteps were making their way up the ramp. Thinking fast she tied the strip of fabric around her mouth, then held the child close. He cooed, moving his head up to face her before his ears flicked up in surprise. She tried to smile at him. 

It definitely looked absolutely horrifying. 

His little features contorted into a frown, and a whimper was heard before the footsteps on the ship drew closer. They both snapped their heads to stare at the unmoving compartment door. Ears perked, listening closely as she heard someone ascend to the cockpit. There were noises outside of the ship, people were gathering, she felt her heart rate increase sharply. She squeezed them further into the corner of the compartment. The mattress creaked so loudly in the silence, but thankfully the noises coming from above them seemed to drown it out.

Her brain had ceased its flow of information. She wasn't sure who entered the ship first, it could be Din for all she knew. But she knew there were about to be a lot more people, and then shit was going to go down. Her mouth had gone dry thanks to the fabric, and the child had started to whine. She tried to shush him, but it came out more in weird hissing sounds. His eyes bugged out as he looked at her in fear, pushing his arms against her chest. She moved to set him down behind her, pretending her heart didn't break at the sight. She maneuvered herself more to the front of the compartment, leaving the keys behind for him. 

She almost didn't notice the grumbling that followed the metallic clink of someone leaving the ship. The person was complaining,  _ aggressively,  _ but the voice was definitely not human. 

_ Of course. That shitty droid.  _

The one emotion that had been hardest to keep at bay was rising again. It coiled in her throat, sharpening her tongue with nasty thoughts. She hated this group, and all the shit they say to Din and the violent betrayal. She didn't know how she was going to be able to handle it if it happens right in front of her— the fabric in her mouth was going to be her saving grace. She really did not want to risk making this even worse for Din than it already would be. 

And sure, she knows they get their due karma in the end. But the nagging pit in her stomach, the feeling of  _ wrong,  _ was eating her alive. She reached for the taser that sat at the front of the compartment and maneuvered her back to Grogu. If that compartment opens, she was going to fight like hell.

And that's how she waited. 

And waited. 

Back turned to the child as he jangled her keys around. She waited as voices crept closer to the Crest. As someone made their way up the ramp, then another. Until something was set down with a heavy thump, and a murmur of voices filled the hull. No one was really saying anything of importance, just fighting about who got to sit where. Sedona turned her head back to the child, who was now also listening attentively. His ears perked, owlish eyes met hers, the keys now forgotten in his little hands. He made a small 'ooo' sound and pointed to the compartment door, and she shrugged, holding her finger up to her mouth in a shushing motion.

Then there was the sound of the hatch closing, her head snapped back to the door. Trying to picture the scene behind the metal. She heard someone climbing the ladder, and then there was more grumbling. It wasn't long after, the ship began to move, she braced her hands behind her back as the compartment rocked. She looked back at the child, who was now back to jangling the keys around, she tried not to cringe at the sound, hoping they couldn't hear it. 

She couldn't help thinking how  _ insane _ this was. She was sitting in a space ship with a little green alien, gagged, and listening to other aliens argue. Her breath had started to quicken, and she could feel her pulse thumping in her neck. 

_ This is so fucked up. What the hell am I even doing here. I'm going crazy-  _

Her spiraling thoughts were cut off when she felt a small hand on her back. She turned, blinking away a tear that had formed in her eye. Grogu made a tiny coo, his eyes wide. She instantly felt bad, he could sense her distress and it was making him feel bad. But she almost let out a sob when the little creature leaned forward, setting both his arms on her back in a tiny hug. A strangled noise tore through her throat, lifting one of her hands to pat his wrinkled little head. He made a snorting noise, one of the cutest things in the world, before plopping down and playing with the keys again. The interaction so small, but it had immediately calmed her down. 

_ God, I can see why everyone loves this little shit.  _

She felt the atmosphere speed up, and the telltale feeling of hyperspace overtook the ship. A sound she recognized made her snap her head back to the door. The weapons hold adjacent to the sleeping compartment was open. She hadn't even heard their earlier conversations, too entranced by the little guy. She couldn't remember who had opened the door, but from the grumbling, it sounded like the one she hated most. Everything was happening much faster, but it felt as if time had slowed. She distantly registered the thump of someone jumping down the ladder, then the doors closing, and someone immediately hitting them.

"Hey, hey, hey. Okay. Okay. Okay, I get it. I'm a little particular about my personal space too." That voice, God she knew that voice. Her blood boiled as she listened further. "So let's just do this job. We get in, we get out, and you don't have to see our faces anymore." 

How ironic, she almost rolled her eyes. 

"Someone tell me why we even need a Mandalorian." The voice was much closer than she wanted it to be. 

"Well, apparently they're the greatest warriors in the galaxy." There was a pause, Sedona gritted her teeth around the cloth. "So they say" 

"Then why are they all dead" 

And there was laughter. She heard a sharp giggle, the kind that makes your lip curl. And she felt herself shaking— she wanted to say something so  _ fucking bad.  _ She didn't know how Din could just take all of this.

"Well, you flew with him, Xi'an— Is he as good as they say?"

"Ask him about the job on Alzoc 111." Their voices grated her ears. Subconsciously she really did want to know what happened on Alzoc 111"

"I did what I had to." But this voice, with his calculated roughness, broke her heart. She didn't know how much more she could take before words started leaving her mouth. She heard a female voice, and her hands curled into fists behind her. She could hear what they were saying, but it wasn't fully registering anymore. Her ears rung with rage, the feeling of the child still leaning against her back was the only thing keeping her from ripping off the gag and screaming. 

Her eyes narrowed at the continued jeering and insults. She tried to blink away the tears of anger that burned her eyes. Pressing all of her weight into her arms, her muscles tense. Ready for what was coming next. 

The ringing in her ears didn't stop, even as a fistfight took place outside her door. 

Only when she was suddenly faced by the people she did not want to see, did everything come crashing back to the surface. 

The trio looked at her in shock, Din out of her view. She sees Mayfield's mouth moving as he walks closer to her, but she only picked up the last of his sentence. 

"— you get lonely up here buddy? Huh." He stepped up to the compartment, Xi'an sauntered after him. Sedona tried not to focus on the way the other woman's gaze twisted into disgust. She turned her head to meet all 3 of their eyes, Burg looking even more devil-like up close. 

"Why do you have your bed warmer tied up like that huh?" Din didn't answer Mayfield, she couldn't even see him, but with the way Burg had his arm locked out of view, he was probably being held back. "Is that how he kept you, huh, Xi'an? Is that how he likes 'em?" The woman in question hissed in response, and she settled herself against the door. Knife still held loosely in her hand. 

"Didn't take you for the type." She snarled at Din, her eyes predatory as they shifted away from Sedona. "Maybe that code of yours has made you soft."

And suddenly there was another voice. Though not really a voice, instead it's sounded like an angry cat in the other room. Muffled, and full of rage. 

It wasn't till she noticed the others were just staring at her in silence, that she realized it was her. She was snarling like a rabid dog, her mouth has developed a mind of its own. Thankfully all the words were swallowed by the cloth. 

"Well let's see what she has to say," Xi'an said with a sickening smile, sharpened yellow teeth on full display. The next actions happened so quickly, Sedona honestly didn't realize what transpired. There was a flash of metal, as Xi'an's hand darted out like a snake. A searing pain appeared on her left cheek, and the cloth holding her words in fell away. She felt herself gasp, her hand instantly flying up to cradle her cheek. And then there was laughing, the trio laughed at her pain, and it only made her angrier. 

"I said," She placed her hand, now sticky with blood, behind her back. Bracing herself. " ** I've got a penchant for smokes and kicking douches in the mouth. Sadly for you, my last cigarette's gone out. ** " 

And with that statement, her right foot flew out. Connecting with Burg's jaw, a sickening crack rang through the hull. 

Then there was chaos. 

The Devaronian stumbled back, his own hand coming up to clutch his jaw with a growl. Mayfield and Xi'an jumped for their weapons. But before anyone else could cross the threshold of the sleeping compartment, there was a blaster shot— and the metal door collapsed shut. Din had shot the control panel to the door, no one could get in, or get out without the use of his fancy wrist control. There was aggressive banging on the door, Sedona feared it might dent. She could hear swearing and shouting from the other side, but she wasn't done. She sat up on her knees, slamming her hands against the metal a few times. If Din wasn't going to say it, she would. 

"Fuck you Xi'an! I wanted to be your friend so bad!" She could hear an aggressive snarl over the other commotion. Burg roared, and then there was a particularly loud thump against the door. 

"Fuck you, Burg! Your breath fucking _ reeks _ !" Her voice had a heavy growl in it, all of the rage she could muster put behind her words. 

"And fuck you, Mayfield! Prison is going to make you it's bitch!" Her voice had risen to a scream to counteract the noise. And with a few more slaps against the metal, she sat back down. Her hand coming up to the cut on her cheek. Xi'an's blades were so sharp, they cut deep and thin. A perfect slice, that was going to leave a nasty scar. It was then she realized the other creature in the room. 

Grogu let out soft whimpers at the commotion, he was trying to hide behind her purse. Her stomach dropped at the sight, instantly letting out a soft coo of her own, she reached her hand out to him, trying to let him know it would be okay. But another voice broke through the pandemonium. 

"Dropping out of hyperspace now." She scooped up Grogu, and he let out a small cry of protest. But she knew what was coming next. The ship lurched foreword suddenly. "Commencing final approach now." 

"Cloaking signal now" Grogu let out a scream as they were suddenly airborne. Sedona's head crashed against the ceiling of the compartment with a thump. They slammed back down, the wind getting knocked out of her lungs. Trying to catch her breath she glanced down at the child, who was relatively fine. Just panicking by the way his massive eyes stared up at her. The ship stopped with a heavy crash, and she heard the droid speaking again. But she was far more distracted by the little green hand straining to reach her cheek. 

"I'll be okay buddy" she whispered, bringing her hand up to gently grab his. He frowned, babbling urgently at her. She gave him as much of a smile she could muster, hoping he accepted it. "You don't have to heal me, I'm all right." Truthfully, she wasn't really all right. Her cheek was burning, and from what she could feel, the cut ran from just under her jaw bone, all the way up to her cheekbone. A neat slice, that was still steadily leaking blood. She set Grogu to the side and reached for her purse, fishing out the travel pack of tissues, and holding one to the cut. It wasn't stitches or magical healing space goo, but she hoped it would at least stop her from bleeding all over Din's bed. A loud smack interrupted their tentative peace. Mayfield's voice followed. 

"Don't think we forgot about you girl, we'll be back for you!" There was laughing, and for the first time since the door had opened, the  _ wrongness _ flooded back to her stomach. She focused on taking deep even breaths, for the sake of the child who whimpered beside her. She heard a fast beeping, and then someone jumping from the ship. They were leaving, and her heart only seemed to race faster. She waited till she heard the particularly loud thump of Burg. 

"Din," she cleared her throat, voice coming out raw. "Don't let them capture you." She wasn't sure if she was just talking to an empty hull, or if the Mandalorian could even hear her raspy voice. 

She just hoped desperately if he had, he would listen. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy
> 
> I'm sorry this took so long. I had a bad case of brain rot this past week, and it took a lot of effort to type, but I hope everyone likes this chapter!! I'm kind of nervous about it, this situation is the one that inspired me to write the entire story, so please let me know what you think. And if you want to you can take a listen to the song. 
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr at punkrock-writer where I shit post and put up fun extras for each of the chapters, and you can talk to me and let me know what you think! 
> 
> Thank you for reading and being patient, hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner! :D


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